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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24460003">Fantasy High One-Shots</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Averys_got_a_pen/pseuds/Averys_got_a_pen'>Averys_got_a_pen</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Dimension 20 (Web Series)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Adoptive family, Anxiety, Canonical Child Abuse, Characters Tagged aren't necessarily in it yet but I intend to put them in it, Families of Choice, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, I did not edit this btw, Jawbone being the best guidance counsellor that Aguefort has ever SEEN, Oof the Abernant kids got me oofed yaknow, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Panic Attacks, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Protective Siblings, as someone with many siblings, canon-typical warnings apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 07:42:00</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,836</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24460003</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Averys_got_a_pen/pseuds/Averys_got_a_pen</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Just a collection of ramblings from me to you :-) If you have any suggestions or prompts, feel free to leave them in the comments and I'll see what I can do ;-) </p><p>If you see any tags that should be in there and aren't, I greatly apologise! Please let me know so I can tag it for the future.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Adaine Abernant &amp; Aelwen Abernant, Ayda Aguefort/Figueroth Faeth, Jawbone &amp; his Kids, Kristen Applebees/Tracker O'Shaughnessey, The Bad Kids - Relationship</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>78</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Five Times Adaine Cried (And One Time Aelwen Did)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>What it says on the tin. Five times Adaine cries, and one time Aelwen does.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Yo I finally got round to the finale and shit got me fucked up! Ayda is canonically autistic? Ya boy defo gonna write a one shot on her because... *ahem* *Reads notes* projecting. <br/>Which is totally not what I do in this chapter. </p><p>Anyway, I just wanted to take a moment to say that Fantasy High can be a hard watch because the Abernant family are woof quite triggering to me so I'm getting out all of my negative emotions in a creative mannner... right? That's how you get past things? Right?! </p><p>One last thing (y'all can skip this if you want, it's just a shameless plug): I'm hoping to release my first self-published book in the next couple of months. It's called Gaying the Pray Away, and it's about a group of teenagers who go to conversion therapy and figure out how to overcome their trauma together. I might post previews and stuff, I just want to like gauge a reaction and see how many people want to know more. If you have any questions, please leave them below in the comments and I'll try to get back to you ASAP.</p><p>Anywho, I hope y'all enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>1.</strong>
</p><p>Aelwen wasn't particularly impressed when her parents initially brought home the screaming bundle that was to be her little sister. The first night after their parents were home from the hospital, they put Adaine down in her cot and left her. Aelwen could hear the screaming from the other side of the house. She asked Father why the baby was making so much noise, but Father only said, "She's got to learn to be independent, Aelwen. It won't do to fuss over her constantly." </p><p>Father had the tone he used when he had very much decided on the matter and Aelwen decided not to push him. She finished her homework - it wouldn't <em>do </em>for her to get anything other than perfect grades, even as a two year old. She was expected to be learning cantrips in the next few years, and she couldn't fall behind on her studies or Father would be mad. </p><p>However, as Aelwen laid down for bed that night, she couldn't sleep for the screaming in the next room. After what was probably several hours of just laying awake to the sound of her baby sister crying, Aelwen eventually got up, plodding her way over to Adaine's room. She tried to stay quiet because she knew that if Mother and Father found her sneaking out of her room, she would be in <em>big trouble</em>. So, she slipped quietly along the corridor and pushed open the door to her sister's room, which was bland and had white-washed walls. There wasn't much in the way of toys - bare necessities of furniture and clothes only. Aelwen had learnt that if she pleased Mother and Father enough, they'd buy her things she wanted, but she wasn't entirely sure how this wriggling ball of pinkish flesh was supposed to please them.</p><p>"Hey!" she whisper-shouted. "Stop making so much noise, sister, or Mother and Father will be angry." </p><p>She approached the cot and the wailing abruptly cut off. She found herself a little taken aback by what she saw. </p><p>When Adaine had arrived, she'd been bundled up close to Mother, looking lost and confused. Now, the baby was positively <em>hurting</em>. She was bright red in the face, all the way up to the tips of her pointy ears, and tears streamed down her face. Her eyes, which had been screwed shut just a moment ago, now blinked up at Aelwen with unbridled trust and curiosity. She wriggled slightly, apparently anxious to be moving, but her eyes never strayed from Aelwen. </p><p>"Did you hear me?" she asked. "I said you ought to stop making so much noise." the baby just stared at her, before her bottom lip started quivering again uncertainly. "Don't start crying again! Are you stupid?"</p><p>She hadn't even meant to say that last bit; she didn't really understand what it meant or why it was so mean, but she knew that that's what Father said whenever she was struggling to get a grasp on something new. </p><p>Immediately, Adaine started wailing again.</p><p>"No!" Aelwen said. She heard the sound of their parents talking in their room. "Be quiet or you'll get us both in trouble!" </p><p>She reached in and took a tiny, balled fist in her own palm. Adaine waved her other hand, which fell as an accidental, weak thump against Aelwen's arm. She was about to be angry at her sister for hitting her, when she felt Adaine's tiny fingers slowly begin to curl around her index fingers in a tight, impossibly strong grip. Adaine looked up at her again, her lip still quivering, but no more sound coming from her. She looked up at Aelwen with big, scared eyes, and Aelwen suddenly realised she would do anything to keep Adaine from being that upset again. </p><p>Adaine was her baby sister. That meant that Aelwen had to take care of her.</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>2.</strong>
</p><p>Adaine was six when she broke her wrist. </p><p>She was so careful when she played, and so was Aelwen, but... Aelwen got reckless. They were climbing a tree - Father would hit the ceiling when he found out - and they'd been pushing each other for a joke, a laugh. Except she'd forgotten that Adaine was still much smaller than her, and then Adaine was falling and then Adaine was positively screaming. </p><p>Aelwen scrambled down the tree and reached the bottom before their parents arrived. </p><p>"What's going on?" Father boomed, grabbing Adaine by the scruff of her collar and standing her upright. He looked at Aelwen, as Adaine was too busy crying her eyes out to explain. </p><p>Aelwen felt her face grow hot. Father would be very mad that they had both been playing in the tree. He would be <em>so </em>mad at Aelwen for pushing Adaine, even if it was technically only an accident. Aelwen knew what Father was like when he was mad - and she knew that he would never believe Adaine over her. He never seemed to believe Adaine whenever she said anything, even though she lied so much less than Aelwen did.</p><p>"Adaine was playing in the tree and fell." the words were out of her lips, and Aelwen was too young to understand the look of hurt and betrayal on her sister's face, mixed in with pain and fear. She was too young and too naive to know that the words she had just said would shatter her sister's trust of her.</p><p>"What have I told you about playing in the tree?" Anguin snapped, turning to face Adaine. She sobbed harder, sitting down on the grass and staring up at Aelwen with those big, sad, lonely eyes. She was begging Aelwen to help her share the brunt of their Father's disapproval. </p><p><em>There's no point in both of us getting in trouble</em>, Aelwen rationalised. <em>And if Adaine isn't strong enough to stay up in the tree, she shouldn't climb up there in the first place.</em></p><p>Aelwen could never quite understand the look of shocked betrayal on Adaine's face, but she certainly wouldn't ever forget it. </p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>3. </strong>
</p><p>Adaine just doesn't understand how to not make Mother and Father mad. </p><p>She argues back, she falls behind on her studies, she makes remarks over the breakfast table that are just much too much. Even at eleven years old, when she's barely learnt to cast spells, she argues. It's over the supper table, and Father asks her about her grades. She snaps back at him that her grades are <em>fine</em>, and he says she should be more like Aelwen. </p><p>For some reason that Aelwen can't understand, that's the ultimate insult for Adaine. </p><p>With all the righteous fury of an angry pre-teen, Adaine is all snapping edges and angry comments and "You don't love me and you never have!" </p><p>Father is furious. Adaine is sent to bed without the rest of her supper. Aelwen sees the angry, frustrated tears that her sister tries to hurriedly wipe away as she marches upstairs. She doesn't understand; if Adaine just didn't make Father mad, she wouldn't get into so much trouble. </p><p>Later, Father pulls Aelwen aside and says, "I want you to try to stay away from Adaine as much as possible. No more sleepovers, no more sharing clothes, no more late night chats when you think your Mother and I are asleep. You are to see her only at mealtimes and study time." </p><p>Aelwen frowns. She's old enough now to understand that she doesn't want to stay away from her sister all the time. The crease in her brow is a line of confusion, and maybe she's also a little angry at the injustice of it all. "Why?" she asked.</p><p>"Because," Father said, in that deep tone that meant <em>don't question me</em>. "Adaine is... a difficult child. I don't want that to interfere with your studies. I don't want her shitty attitude to rub off on you, Aelwen. Do you understand? You are destined for far greater things than she is, and I don't want her to influence you into thinking otherwise." </p><p>"Ok, Father." Aelwen said, even though she didn't understand. Not really. </p><p>As she went up to bed that night, she hesitated outside Adaine's bedroom door. Ever since Adaine had been a wriggling pink bundle of flesh, Aelwen had given her sister a kiss on the head goodnight before bed. Every day since they brought her home. Every day of Adaine's life. </p><p>But Father had said not to.</p><p>Aelwen went to her room and closed the door behind her and got into bed. She laid there, the blankets pulled over her, listening to Adaine's choked-off sobs and too-fast breaths that made it sound like she were drowning. Aelwen couldn't stop hearing it, and she knew that if she went in and gave Adaine a kiss goodnight, it would make her feel at least a little bit better.</p><p>But Father had told her not to.</p><p>Aelwen pretended she couldn't sleep because she was worried about school. </p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>4. </strong>
</p><p>Adaine, by all accounts, looked exhausted. </p><p>Aelwen knew that she was so stressed in the months preceding the Hudol entrance exam that she rarely ate or tranced. Aelwen had heard her sister last night, rapidly revising everything she knew and going over and over and over the textbooks, and Aelwen had rolled her eyes at the pitiful sobs that Adaine let out when she realised she wasn't good enough. </p><p>Now, Aelwen felt a pang - just a tiny little bit - of sympathy as their parents shouted. Father was furious, Mother was so disappointed. Adaine's tears had long since stopped coming, but the evidence of her panic attack was in the shake of her skinny Elven fists and the look of sheer exhaustion on her face. She looked as though she wanted nothing more than to go up to her room and hide under her covers and never come out again. </p><p>Aelwen had wanted that, once or twice. But not since she was very small - Adaine was never as strong as her, never as resilient as her, never as well behaved as her, never as smart as her...</p><p>The words were out of her mouth before she could stop them and she saw her Father smirk. That wasn't what stopped Aelwen's heart for nought point three seconds though; that was Adaine, looking up at her with those big blue eyes. She was a baby again, she was alone and scared and she just wanted Aelwen to hold her hand. </p><p>Later that evening, Aelwen went to apologise. It wasn't usual for her to want to apologise, or even feel the need to. Except that look - that look that Adaine always had when she was upset, like a puppy in the rain begging to be let in - kept haunting her mind. </p><p>"Adaine!" she called through the door. "I wanted to talk to you if-" </p><p>"Go away!" </p><p>Adaine's voice had none of its usual power. It was quiet and vulnerable and nowhere near as cocky as Aelwen had grown accustomed to. Adaine was hurting, and a part of Aelwen remembered that she was supposed to be protecting her baby sister. </p><p>But Father said that Adaine was stupid, and emotional, and poorly behaved...</p><p>"Have it your way then." Aelwen said, partly because it's what Father wanted, and partly because it felt better to do the easy thing than the difficult one. Apologising really was never her strong suit. "I'm sure you'll have buckets of fun at Aguefort, where they run around like primal beasts. It'll suit you." </p><p>She got no snarky remark in response. </p><p>Adaine was left alone. </p><p>Aelwen tried to pass off the feeling in her gut as smug victory, but deep down she knew that wasn't it.</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>5.</strong>
</p><p>Adaine is crying and Aelwen thinks if she weren't so dehydrated, she would be too. </p><p>She'd lost count of her time in the orb, but one thing was clear; she wouldn't let her baby sister befall the same fate as she had. In her time in limbo, she'd been able to reflect on everything that had happened. She had come up with a heart-wrenching, earth-shattering conclusion: Adaine was right. </p><p>Their parents... ok, maybe they loved them a little bit, surely? They had never done anything <em>that </em>awful to Aelwen and Adaine... well, Adaine was a difficult child. </p><p>Now, seeing Adaine crouching behind some old furniture as Aelwen herself rotated slowly in her bubble, she realised that that was wrong. Adaine wasn't difficult. Adaine was intelligent, strong, brave, and bared her teeth in the face of adversary. Aelwen had always been no more than an obedient lapdog, but Adaine had known, right from the beginning, that her world was never going to be fare. She had grown up believing that nobody loved her. She had grown up thinking her own sister would betray her. She had grown up thinking that she was worthless, stupid, and a waste of space. </p><p>"I-I'm sorry Adaine." she began. The words felt alien on her lips and she wasn't sure that she'd ever said them before. Adaine smiled patiently, but her eyes were filling with tears for a reason - once again - that Aelwen didn't understand. "I've been really very dreadful to you." </p><p>Aelwen wanted to dispel the bubble, wrap her sister up in a hug and keep her shielded until that awful, awful sad look was gone from her face. She wanted to put a hand on either side of Adaine's face and soothe her. How many times had she had that opportunity before? How many times had she just watched her baby sister cry? And now that she wanted to hold Adaine, she couldn't.</p><p>The universe was a cruel joke. </p><p>Adaine is crying and Aelwen thinks if she weren't so dehydrated, she would be too. </p><p>She'd lost count of her time in the orb, but one thing was clear; she wouldn't let her baby sister befall the same fate as she had.</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>+1</strong>
</p><p>Adaine wasn't sure she'd ever seen her big sister cry before Calethriel Tower, and even still it was a rare occurrence. </p><p>Jawbone had built them a bunkbed. Adaine had kept to it, to respect her sister's boundaries, though she wouldn't been perfectly happy to share. Truthfully, on occasion when they shared a bed, and the threat of the Nightmare King wasn't looming over their shoulders, it was the best trance that Adaine ever got, and Aelwen always looked all the better for it. </p><p>So when Adaine woke up at approximately three o'clock in the morning to hear her sister sobbing, she didn't hesitate to climb down onto her bunk. </p><p>"A-Adaine?" Aelwen stuttered. </p><p>"It's me," she said softly. "It's ok, I'm right here." </p><p>"Dreadful nightmare-" Aelwen seemed to say only half of what she was thinking aloud. Adaine wasn't even sure she realised that she was doing it. "You were - And I couldn't - Father and Mother -" </p><p>"Hey, it's ok." Adaine wrapped her arms around her sister and pressed Boggy into Aelwen's soft grip. "I'm right here. You're right here with me, in Mordred Manner. Do you remember?" </p><p>"I... The tower, Adaine... Mother and Father-" </p><p>"It's ok," Adaine repeated patiently. "They're not here. They're not going to hurt you. We won't let them hurt you." </p><p>"I let them hurt you." the words were out of Aelwen's mouth before she could stop herself and she felt the younger Abernant stiffen instinctively. She knew that Adaine had anxiety, and still had nightmares from her own trauma in the Forest, but yet Adaine seemed to have it together. </p><p>"I've already forgiven you for that." Adaine said softly. "But I'd really like it if you could at least try to forgive yourself." </p><p>"You know how I like to hold a grudge." Aelwen said, grimacing. Adaine's arms tightened around her sister, who - for the first time in their lives - was smaller than her. Aelwen had lost weight after Calethriel Tower, and the two of them were still adjusting to the little things. Like how Adaine's body swamped Aelwen's underweight frame.</p><p><em>This isn't right</em>, Aelwen thought to herself. <em>Even when you try to be a good big sister, you can't do it. Adaine is the one who ends up comforting you.</em></p><p>"Go back to sleep?" Adaine said, reading Aelwen's face and seeing all-too-clearly the thoughts going through her head. Nobody else would probably recognise them, but of course Adaine would. She felt a pair of lips press to her head, a goodnight kiss like she used to give Adaine until her Father had forbidden it. </p><p>"Can... can I hold you?" Aelwen asked hesitantly. Adaine didn't say anything, just rearranged themselves so that she was tucked under Aelwen's pointed chin. Aelwen wrapped the blankets around them both and put her arms around her sister as Adaine curled up beside her, Boggy settling between the two of them. Aelwen conjured abjurative magic to keep them safe while they slept. Adaine smiled sleepily as she saw it. </p><p>"G'night, Aelwen. I love you." </p><p>Her breathing evened out soon after as she fell into a deep trance. Aelwen found herself awake a little longer, carding her fingers through Adaine's hair and mulling over her many, many, <em>many </em>regrets. As she slept, Adaine's face was peaceful; she wasn't lonely, or angry, or anxious, or betrayed. Her face just smoothed out, and she looked every bit the sixteen year old she was supposed to be (although it might not have been the one her Father wanted her to be).</p><p>"Good night, Adaine." Aelwen said back finally, only pressing a kiss to Adaine's head when she was sure the younger girl was asleep. "I made a promise some years ago that I think I may have lost my way with a bit, but... if you need me, I will be here for you. You are remarkable and strong, and I am so, so sorry for the years of torment I put you through. I love you, baby sister." </p><p>Aelwen had betrayed, hurt and tormented Adaine for years, but because Adaine was a good person (Aelwen understood that much now), she had given her big sister another chance.</p><p>And Aelwen wasn't going to let her down. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thank you for reading! I hope y'all have a lovely day, you're all so incredible and valid, and even if you feel like you have no one, know that I love you. Remember that you're not your parents or your past or your trauma &lt;3</p><p>[Also, sidebar after all that dramatic shit: I was talking to a friend the other day and I realised that Adaine's whole story arc like centres around her feeling unloved, unlovable and being mistreated. But now there are thousands of people out there who have seen her story and love her for who she is. Idk man storytelling is w i l d and you can't convince me that it's not the most powerful force in the universe.]</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Jawbone and His 8 Kids</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Jawbone never intended to be a father, but it turns out he's not too awful at it.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Ayyoooooo don't mind me, crying about everyone in Mordred Manor and the fucking O'Shaughnessey family which Keeps. On. Growing. </p><p>Jawbone is the best Dad in the universe and you can't convince me otherwise.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Jawbone had been a lot of things in his life, but never a Father.</p><p>He had been a drug dealer, a criminal, a scoundrel, a werewolf, a counsellor, a friend, a lover. However, it wasn't until Tracker came along that he had the opportunity to be a Dad.</p><p>However, he was given little choice when his thirteen-year-old niece appeared on his doorstep with tears streaming from her eyes. He took her in, talked to her, helped her understand the lycanthropy that they were both afflicted with. Tracker eventually told him that she'd run away after an argument with her parents about Sol. Jawbone, not a religious man himself, had understood.</p><p>So, completely unintentionally, and with a great deal of self-doubt, Jawbone O'Shaughnessey became a father. </p><p>Tracker was a difficult child, but Jawbone knew that that came from a difficult life with her parents. She tended to experience fits of rage, turn full werewolf, and destroy furniture. Jawbone didn't mind too much - furniture was replaceable. However, he did his best to teach her how to control that rage, he did his best to be the father that her father hadn't been.</p><p>It worked out pretty well, overall. They didn't have an awful lot of money, and the flat was covered in claw marks, but they made a nice little family, just the two of them.</p><p>And then, that night at the Black Pit. </p><p>Jawbone, even to this day, remembered the feeling of his teeth sinking into the teenage girl, remembered her cry of pain. Remembered that one moment of tension where he wondered if he'd infected her. Remembered that look of fear and panic in the eyes of the young Elven girl, who (although he didn't know it at the time) would one day be his daughter.</p><p>She had been unnecessarily kind. She'd gotten him a job, she'd turned his life around.</p><p>It wasn't until Prom that he fully understood that look of panic she'd had that first day. Her clothes were dishevelled, her hair a mess, and her face was streaked with tears, both new and dried. When Adaine said that her parents had left her, in that small, vulnerable voice, Jawbone knew that if she'd have him, he'd love nothing more than to look after this kid. </p><p>Kristen ended up at their apartment more often than not. He knew the way she looked at Tracker, and he knew from the soft smile on her face whenever they were together that Tracker was absolutely smitten. He also knew that, not unlike his niece, Kristen's family hadn't agreed with her on religious matters and sexuality matters. She stayed at home sometimes, but always seemed to wind up back in Jawbone's apartment, cuddling up close to Tracker on the dingy old single bed that they shared. </p><p>He couldn't believe that someone who had been through so much shit could come out of it as such a ray of kindness and positivity (and, ok, doubt was a part of it too).</p><p>Next, came Fig. </p><p>By this point, Jawbone had grown fond and protective of his three girls. He acquired a fourth daughter completely by accident (which seemed to be happening more and more often, these days), after falling for her Mother. Fig was loud, boisterous, and energetic. Jawbone couldn't help but smile whenever Fig came in and Adaine's mood immediately lifted. It didn't make sense to a lot of people, that quiet, nerdy Adaine and loud, rebellious Fig should be best friends, but it made sense to Jawbone. </p><p>Jawbone O'Shaughnessey's first son was dead. </p><p>Zayne never hung around too much, but when they moved in to Mordred Manor (there simply wasn't space for all of them in his tiny little apartment), he made it immediately clear that Zayne was welcome as part of the family, if he wanted to be. Jawbone saw very little of him (no pun intended), as he tended to hang around up in Adaine's tower, where they'd sit and chat or compare spells. More than once, Jawbone had caught a perfectly spherical frog and a curious rat playing in the house, and he couldn't be certain (he didn't know how sentient the familiars were), but he was sure at one point, he'd caught them playing Hide and Seek.</p><p>Of course, all of the Bad Kids were welcome at Mordred Manor, and their friends, and their friends' friends, as long as it was ok with Sandralynn. Jawbone was struggling to keep up with the five kids and two familiars that were almost constantly in the house, but he found that he really didn't mind being a little behind. The kids were happy, and they had a home, and a family.</p><p>Most of them had never had that before. </p><p>And then they were off to retrieve the Crown of the Nightmare King. Jawbone hated it. </p><p>He trusted the kids, and Sandralynn, and all of their other hirelings. But the house was too big and too empty for just him. </p><p>Most days, Zayne would come to visit. He'd ask if Jawbone had heard anything from the Bad Kids, if Adaine was alright. Jawbone would make them both a cup of tea (mostly out of courtesy, since Zayne couldn't drink it), and they'd sit and chat for hours. Zayne was closed off, troubled, but sometimes opened up about how his studies were going at Aguefort. He asked about Adaine a lot, and Jawbone couldn't decide if the two of them <em>liked </em>each other or were just very good friends. Either way, Zayne's concern was genuinely touching. </p><p>He looked at the date and saw Adaine's birthday marked on the calendar of the kitchen wall. He wanted to mark it as special; he knew that Adaine's home situation was worse than most of them. Her parents had expected and expected and expected from her, and treated her like shit, and not loved her in return. He wanted to help her understand that she was loved now. He went and got the official adoption papers, so she could be Adaine O'Shaughnessey if she wanted to, and spent several days (with Zayne's help), picking out sixteen birthday presents.</p><p>Jawbone had thought that five kids was more than enough. Then the Bad Kids had returned from their quest, with three more in tow. </p><p>Jawbone recognised Ragh Barkrock immediately and welcomed him into the family. The boy had struggled with his sexuality, an emotionally abusive coach and friend, and his mother being sick. They'd had a dozen or so counselling sessions together, where Jawbone had helped the young man come to terms with his sexuality and learn to love himself for who he was. Him and his mother, Lydia, moved in just after the quest had finished; Jawbone and Ragh worked together to renovate the house to make it more accessible. The others helped whenever they could, but most of them were too busy with school to be able to do a lot. Now that Ragh had graduated (of course, Jawbone attended and teared up a little at seeing how far he'd come), he had a lot of free time on his hands. </p><p>The second individual they brought back with them, Jawbone had met once or twice. During his time in Leviathan, he'd spent time with Garthy O'Brien, and had once had dinner with them and their adopted daughter, Ayda. Ayda had only been young at the time, but she seemed to remember Jawbone and greeted him warmly (no pun intended). She fit in well enough at Mordred Manor, though she seemed to spend most of her time beside, around or talking about Fig. It was sweet to see the two of them so enamoured by each other, and in the quiet of night one evening, Sandralynn expressed how happy she was to see Fig in a happy, healthy relationship. </p><p>He realised quickly that Ayda wasn't neurotypical. He did his research, found some books and presented them to her. He would find out everything he could to make Ayda even a little bit more comfortable in her home. She cried fire tears and refused to put down the books for three days straight after Jawbone presented them to her, even after she'd read them front-to-back.</p><p>The last person they brought back from their quest wasn't someone who Jawbone had met before, but someone who he immediately recognised regardless. Aelwen's resemblance to her sister was striking, and not just in her looks; Aelwen and Adaine shared the trauma that their parents had inflicted on them. Aelwen was snappy, bitchy, and generally hard to get along with. She seemed to detest staying in the Manor and seemed to detest everyone in it, with the exception of her little sister of course. </p><p>Jawbone knew immediately that their parents had fucked up the Abernant kids to a level that no kid should have to experience. When Adaine sat shaking at the kitchen table at three A.M. one morning, following a terrible nightmare, she finally revealed more details of the quest to Jawbone. Anguin had straight-up tortured his two children. He had threatened to cut Adaine open and perform a lobotomy. He had tried to kill them both. </p><p>So when he wrapped his arms around Adaine and held her shaking, crying form to his chest, he couldn't help the anger swirling inside him. </p><p>Jawbone had never expected to be a father, but anyone with any shred of decency, compassion and love could do a better job than Anguin had. </p><p>When her tears had subsided, she gave him a watery smile and a "Thanks, Dad" that he wasn't expecting. He escorted her up to her room, where Aelwen had woken up only recently and was panicking that her sister was gone. </p><p>"Budge up." Adaine muttered, foregoing the top bunk and climbing under the covers beside Aelwen. Jawbone couldn't help a fond smile drawing across his face as Adaine wrapped her arms around her big sister and the two of them fell into deep, much-needed slumber. </p><p>"G'night, girls." Jawbone muttered as he closed the door quietly behind himself. </p><p>He was exhausted from work that day and eager to get back into bed, but as he was walking to his room, he heard a soft sobbing coming from Tracker's room. He was unsurprised when he opened the door and found both Tracker and Kristen in the bed, but decided not to comment when he saw the state that Tracker was in. </p><p>"Hey, what's wrong?" he said, immediately coming and perching on the edge of the bed. </p><p>"She had a nightmare." Kristen said darkly, wrapping her arms tightly around her girlfriend and trying to calm her. Tracker was crying, her face pale and her whole body shivering. The sheets were damp with cold sweat. </p><p>"Hey, kiddo, it's alright." Jawbone said, rubbing his eyes tiredly. "How about I make us some tea and we can talk?" </p><p>Jawbone O'Shaughnessey had been a lot of things in his life, but the one he was most proud of, was being a father. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thanks for reading! I hope y'all enjoyed, as always comments and kudos are greatly appreciated. This is honestly just however-many-words of me giving Jawbone and his (many, many) kids the family they deserve. All of them deserve happiness and love and a good home and you can pry that from my cold dead hands. </p><p>Anywho, once again thanks for taking the time to engage with this fic, I love you all lots and lots like jellie tots. Spring Break, I believe in YOU. &lt;3</p>
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